An affordable pair of bookshelf speakers from a renowned brand. The Spendor S3/5R2 is an amazing entry-level speaker for listeners who are a fan but don’t have the budget to get the company’s more expensive lineups.
Usually, loudspeakers with a really modest price point have limitations and this comes as no surprise. The Spendor S3/5R2 even though it has been well-received by both critics and users over the years does have its own limitations. They are using a two-way sealed cabinet design, although it does give the Spendor S3/5R2 a certain advantage. This sealed cabinet design however also limits their bass output. Not to mention, the S3/5R2 are bookshelf speakers and low-end delivery will certainly be less impactful.
They have agile bass output and overall a detailed speaker which sounds natural, but for today’s music which has plenty of low-end frequencies, the Spendor S3/5R2 sounds a bit lacking. Especially when you are using these bookshelf speakers to watch some action-packed movies, you are really missing out on the exciting low-frequency punch. Spendor S3/5R2 are just unable to reach that deep into the bass extension, let alone deliver the low frequencies with authority.
Fortunately, we can resolve this by integrating a powered subwoofer into the sound system. An active subwoofer can help supplement the bass performances of your system and deliver deeper low frequencies which the Spendor S3/5R2 is unable to do so. We suggest going for a sealed subwoofer. It is the “same” cabinet design as your Spendor S3/5R2 and sealed subs are more capable of delivering tighter bass. We have prepared a list of the best subwoofers to match your Spendor S3/5R2. You can take a look at them below.
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Best Subwoofers for Spendor S3/5R2
The SVS SB-1000 is one of the best subwoofers to match your Spendor S3/5R2. It is an entry-level sealed subwoofer and so the price range is quite similar. This may be an entry-level sealed subwoofer but the SVS SB-1000 can still reach down to 24Hz which is much lower than Spendor S3/5R2 can ever deliver. The musicality of this 12″ SVS sealed subwoofer is good and it is agile enough to keep pace with the Spendor S3/5R2 stand-mounters.
More details of the SVS SB-1000 subwoofer at Amazon
The Rythmik Audio L12 is an amazing entry-level sealed subwoofer as well and will be an ideal partner for your Spendor S3/5R2 speakers. For a sealed subwoofer of this price and size, it is absolutely impressive that the Rythmik Audio L12 is able to go below 20Hz bass extension. And not just that, the L12 is agile and fast, keeping up with the Spendor S3/5R2 bookshelf speakers. This sealed subwoofer is more than sufficient to be used inside a small listening room.
If you are using your Spendor S3/5R2 speakers inside a small listening room with very little space. You might want to consider using a compact subwoofer such as the Kanto SUB8. This is a small powered subwoofer with a sealed cabinet design and its bass delivery is nimble. The Kanto SUB8 will help to add more weight to the low frequencies without overwhelming the higher registers. When compared to the above subwoofers, Kanto SUB8 doesn’t go as deep into the bass extension though, so do take note of that.
More details of the Kanto SUB8 at Amazon
The SVS SB-1000 Pro is the newer version of the old SVS SB-1000 model. The Pro version is able to reach slightly deeper into the bass extension and has more amplifier power too. This is an ideal sealed cabinet subwoofer choice for Spendor S3/5R2 owners who are unable to get their hands on the older SB-1000 model. The pro model has all its predecessor’s strengths and then some. It still uses a 12″ driver and is compact enough for most small listening rooms which makes it easier to find a spot for SVS SB-1000 Pro.
More details of the SVS SB-1000 Pro subwoofer at Amazon
For Spendor S3/5R2 users who prefer bass output, you might want to stick with a ported subwoofer. The SVS PB-1000 will be an excellent entry-level subwoofer choice to go for and partner it with your Spendor S3/5R2 speakers. It is a highly-rated ported subwoofer with a 10″ driver and has a peak power of 720 Watts. The bass performance of the PB-1000 has weight and is authoritative enough to deliver a good punch. It might be difficult to get a brand-new SVS PB-1000 though.
More details of the SVS PB-1000 ported subwoofer at Amazon
The SVS PB-1000 Pro will be the latest version of the PB-1000 series. It is even more powerful than its predecessor. This is great for Spendor S3/5R2 users who want higher bass outputs without compromising accuracy. It is a ported subwoofer that packs a heavy punch and rocks your listening room. SVS PB-1000 Pro also comes with a fantastic feature where you can switch between ‘Standard’ and ‘Sealed’ modes. When you are listening to music with your Spendor S3/5R2 speakers, you can switch to ‘Sealed’ mode on the PB-1000 for a tighter bass delivery.
More details of the SVS PB-1000 Pro ported subwoofer at Amazon
To Sum It Up
You should only go for ported subwoofers if you really just want to pump up the bass quantity. For Spendor S3/5R2 owners who only use their speakers for music, a sealed subwoofer is certainly the better choice. To be sure, you should audition the subwoofers together with your Spendor S3/5R2 bookshelf speakers. During the audition, you’ll be able to tell which model or type best suits your preferences.
